2006 Nfl Schedule Keeps Teams In `Flex'

JIM SARNI ON BROADCAST SPORTS

The Dolphins open the NFL regular season against the Steelers Sept. 7 in Pittsburgh.

And the Dolphins could close the regular season with a Sunday night game Dec. 31 in Indianapolis.

It all depends on the flex.

Get ready for the new NFL flexible schedule, in which kickoffs for Sunday games can be changed to ensure the best late-season matchups.

Beginning with Week 10 (Nov. 12), and running through the end of the regular season with the exception of Week 16 (Christmas weekend), the NFL will adjust the times of games for CBS, Fox and NBC, which takes over the Sunday night package.

All games on the schedule released Thursday are 1 p.m. or 4:05-4:15 p.m., with NBC getting a game to be determined.

The league will set the schedule for flex Sundays -- who plays at night for NBC, who plays in the late-afternoon doubleheader slot for CBS or Fox -- no later than 12 days out, six days before the last Sunday.

CBS and Fox each get to reserve five games (no more than one per Sunday) over the seven flex Sundays.

The NFL has earmarked late-season games for NBC but won't reveal them because it doesn't want to embarrass teams that are tentatively scheduled for a prime-time game, then get dumped.

The NFL will choose NBC's games, but if it gets lucky, it won't have to change many.

"It's not as complicated as it may seem," said Seth Palansky, NFL network director, media services.

On the final Sunday, Dec. 31, the NFL for the first time is allowing both CBS and Fox a doubleheader game. Add the NBC Sunday night games, and fans could get three national games with playoff implications.

That's where Dolphins-Colts comes in. Going into the season, it's in the mix with Steelers-Bengals and Seahawks-Bucs for the Sunday night spot. A lot of people in South Florida may be having football-themed New Year's Eve parties.

Of course, a lot could happen between September and December, and usually does in the NFL. Remember the Bengals last year. No prime-time games. But at least now the NFL has the flex to steer the TV schedule in the right direction.

NBC gets the goods

The NFL was very good to NBC in its return to the league. The Cowboys appear three times in NBC's 10 scheduled games. NBC also gets two games with the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers, Patriots, Colts and Broncos.

ESPN's Monday Night Football schedule is set in stone. The cable network has all 12 playoff teams from last season, but no team appears more than twice. The Super Bowl champion Steelers play only once, Sept. 18 at Jacksonville. The NFL wants some flexibility with the Steelers, who already have four prime-time games (two on NBC, one on NFL Network) but can play another game on NBC.

The new late-season, Thursday-Saturday package debuts with NFL Network doing eight games (six Thursdays, beginning Thanksgiving night with Broncos-Chiefs). Seven games are interdivisional.

The biggest surprise of the schedule is the Raiders getting four prime-time games despite coming off a 4-12 season. They play the Chargers in the second of two Monday night games on Sept. 11. They have a Sunday night game against the Broncos on Oct. 15. They visit the Seahawks on Monday night Nov. 6. They play the Chiefs in a Saturday night game Dec. 23.

The Packers, also 4-12 in 2005, got two Monday night games: Oct. 2 at Philadelphia and Nov. 27 at Seattle. They also have a Thursday night game against the Vikings Dec. 21. The NFL must think Brett Favre is coming back.

Read more at sun-sentinel.com. Jim Sarni can be reached at jsarni@sun-sentinel.com

SARNI'S PICKS OF THE WEEK

TODAY

The Marlins open a three-game series against the Mets (7 p.m., FSN). ... Mavs and Spurs in a West showdown (8 p.m., ESPN). ... The U.S. hosts Chile in the Davis Cup quarterfinals (2 p.m. today, 4 p.m. Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday, OLN).